Rebel Roundup
With two and a half weeks under our belt here at MCC, students are starting to settle into the school routine. Teachers are giving some of their first tests and quizzes and students are busily studying, taking notes and relearning how to stay organized for their classes. It feels good to be entering some semblance of a “normal” school year. Students and staff seem more relaxed this year after the unknowns of last year’s COVID year. While we know that things can change on a dime with numbers, mandates, and requirements, we remain hopeful.
We are very excited for our upcoming homecoming and all the traditions homecoming brings. Homecoming is scheduled from October 4th- 8th this year (for a full list of event please visit our district website). From class wars to the parade, football game, dance and bonfire- we are planning a full scale homecoming this year. The pride and respect the students show during these activities is incredible, and I would suggest that the school spirit, pride, and unity we have as a district and community is, in part, inspired by these traditions. We build a sense of community at school as we participate in these different activities and a true sense of Rebel Pride. The events of homecoming help to establish a firm foundation for the entire year. I would say that we are off to a great start here at MCC.
As we look at our test scores from the latest round of Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs), our district continues to score higher than the state average in all assessed areas- reading, math and science. In fact, even with the average statewide decline in test scores last year in all assessed areas, when we compare our district’s proficiency scores to the schools in our area of southwest Minnesota, we ranked first in math, first in science and second in reading. Our math scores actually increased last year which bucked the declining trend throughout the state. We talk a lot about a tradition of excellence here at MCC. Over the last several years, we have consistently ranked in the top three districts in SWMN. We attribute this success to the hard work of our students, tireless effort of our staff, and full support of our community all working together to provide opportunities for students to achieve their highest potential. The fact that everyone worked so hard to keep us in school last year, in spite of the difficulties of masking, distancing, and changing classrooms to accommodate class size, helped us only see a distance learning period of 8 total days. This meant students were able to continue learning and building upon the firm academic foundation that our educators work so hard to establish year after year. All these factors contribute to MCC’s success and keep us at the front of the pack. Everyone from our teachers, volunteers, support staff, community members, students and parents deserves recognition for this accomplishment. Congratulations and thank you for the work you do on a daily basis to ensure every child is successful in school and life.
While the numbers for this year are positive overall, there is always room for improvement. As a district we want to model continuous improvement by setting goals to help us grow incrementally and maintain our standard of excellence. This year when our district Q-comp committee met and reviewed the data, we decided to focus on our reading scores at both the elementary and high schools. We are discussing strategies for improving these scores and feel that this is an area where we can get better. We will be meeting in our Professional Learning Communities next week to continue refining our practice and help students grow in this area.
As we move forward this year, I want you to know that I look forward to working with our community to help make our district the best place it can be. It truly takes all of us working together to help develop the potential in every student. Thank you for your support.
Go Rebels!
Jake Scandrett
HS Principal
Murray County Central